Lamp mount and component therefor



May 31, 1966 F. w. HOEH LAMP MOUNT AND COMPONENT THEREFOR Filed Aug. 20,1965 United States Patent 3,254,257 LAMP MOUNT AND COMPONENT THEREFORFrederick W. Hoeh, Livingston, N.J., assignor to Westinghouse ElectricCorporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Aug.20, 1963, Ser. No. 303,247 9 Claims. (Cl. 313--204) This inventionrelates to electrical devices and has particular reference to animproved mount and component for electric lamps and an arrangement forattaching a wire support member or the like to a lamp stern.

In the manufacture of fluorescent and incandescent lamps it isfrequently desirable or necessary to attach a component, such as a wiresupport or the like, to the lamp stem without connecting it electricallywith the lead-in wires. For example, in certain types of fluorescentlamps using a mixture of neon and argon as a fill gas it has been foundthat the efficiency can be increased by placing an electrically floatinggrid a predetermined distance in front of each cathode. Such floatinggrids and the manner in which they operate and reduce the anode Voltagedrop is disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,725,- 497 to J. J. Mason. In thecase of incandescent lamps, an insulated auxiliary support member isfrequently required to prevent the central portion of the suspendedfilament from sagging during use.

In the prior art, such grids and auxilary supports were attached to theglass stem by embedding the end of the support-wire into the stem pressafter the latter has been heat softened. Since such stems are made onautomated high speed machines, the insertion of such members into thepress introduces quality control problems and in many cases isimpractical where the size or shape of the member prevents it from beingautomatically oriented and fed into the machine heads. As a result, itwas necessary in such instances to reheat the press portions ofcompleted stems and insert the ends of such specially shaped componentsinto the press by hand. This was not only tedious but ineflicient andcostly.

With the foregoing in mind, it is the general object of the presentinvention to provide an improved mount construction for electricaldevices such as lamps or the like which includes a component, such as agrid or support wire, thatcan be very conveniently and inexpensivelyattached to otherwise completed stems solely by a mechanicalinterfitting of the parts.

Other objectives, in addition to those which will occur to those skilledinthe art, are the provision of a preformed wire member that can besecurely locked in place one stern in the aforesaid manner withoutreworking the glass stems thereof.

The foregoing objects, and other attendant advantages, are achieved inaccordance with the present invention by bending the end of the wiremember that would be normally embedded in the stem press into anenlarged compressible clip or the like of such ,size that, when incompressed condition, it can be inserted into the exhaust apertureandadjoining portion of the exhaust tube normally employed in lamp stems.The resultant tensioning of the clip by the tube mechanically locks themember in place on the stem. Thus, the grid or support member is held inthe desired position on the stem solely by mechanical means and thefinal assembly of the mount can be accomplished quickly and efficientlywithout any reworking of the glass.

A better understanding of the invention will be obtained from theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a fluorescent lamp having mounts withfloating grid members which embody the invention, portions'of theenvelope at each end being broken away to show the mount structures;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the lamp mounts beforeit is sealed into the envelope;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the mount; 1

FIG. 4 is a. sectional view through the mount along the line IV-IV ofFIG. 2, showing the manner in which the stem and wire grid memberinter-lock one with another;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the combined grid-and-supportmember shown in the preceding figures; and

FIG. 6 is an alternative embodiment illustrating the application of theinvention to an incandescent lamp mount.

While the present invention can be used with advantage in various typesof electrical devices having Embodiment I In FIG. 1 there is shown afluorescent lamp 10 which includes the usual tubular envelope 12 havingelectrode mounts 14 sealed into each of its ends, which mountsareprovided with the improved floating grid members 34 of the presentinvention. The inner surface of the envelope is coated with a layer 18ofsuitable phosphor inthe conventional manner and a charge of mercuryand inert fill .gas such as neon, argon, or mixtures thereof are sealedwithin the envelope in accordance with standardlamp-making practice.

As shown more particularly in FIG. 2, the lamp mount 14 consists of avitreous or glass stem 20 that has a flared skirt 22 at one end and apress 24 at its opposite end. A glass exhaust tube 26 extends axiallywithin the stem 20 and is sealed to an interior part at a pointimmediately below the press 24 so as to merge and communicate with anexhaust aperture 28 provided in the side of the stem wall. While onlyone of the mounts of a fluorescent lamp normally has such an exhaustaperture and tubulation, the lamp 10 of the present invention departsfrom the prior art practice in that both mounts are of the sameconstruction, one of the tubes being used as a dummy and remaining openif desired.

Returning to FIG. 2, the usual pair of lead-in wire conductors 30 aresealed through the stem press 24 and have an elongated cathode 32attached to their upwardly extending ends. The cathode consists ofeither a coiledcoil or triple-coiled filament of tungsten wire that iscoated with suitable emission material, and it is preferably supportedin a plane substantially normal to the stem axis as here illustrated. A

As shown in FIG. 2, and more particularly in FIGS. 3 to 5, the combinedgrid-and-support member 34 of the present invention consists of apreformed member fabricated from a single piece of resilient butrelatively stiff wire one end of which is formed into a flat spiral 36of approximately three turns with a A" pitch and the other end of whichis bent into an enlarged spring clip 42 of generally U-shapedconfiguration that is compressible. The clip portion 42 is locatedwithin the end of the tube 26 that adjoins the aperture 28 and is ofsuch dimension that, when compressed, it can be inserted through theaperture and snugly fits within the tube. By virtue of the naturalresiliency of the wire, the clip portion 42 expands after it has beeninserted into the stem 20 and presses against the sides of the tube 26thereby locking the wire member 34 in the desired position on the stem.

The spiral grid portion 36 is preferably disposed in a planesubstantially normal to the stem axis and is supported in this positionby a substantially straight arbor portion 38 located between the gridportion and an arcuate intermediate portion 40. The arbor portion is ofsuch length that the spiral grid structure 36 is disposed apredetermined distance, about A for example, in front of the electrode32 and in a plane that is substantially parallel to the electrode plane.

Preferably, the intermediate curved portion 40 has a shape that conformsto the profile of the press 24 so that it fits snugly around thisportion of the stem 20, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4. In addition, thesegment of the intermediate portion 40 adjoining the clip portion 42 isprovided with a reverse bend so as to provide a nodule or projection 41that engages and is seated behind the peripheral lip or rim portion ofthe stern wall that defines the aperture 28. Thus, the intermediateportion 4%) desirably comprises a generally C-shaped loop or eyelet, asshown most clearly in FIG. 5. In addition to automatically controllingthe depth of insertion of the wire member 34 into the tube 26, theinteraction between the curved intermediate portion 40 and the rim andpress portions of the stem prevents the wire member from becomingdisplaced either in a lateral or axial direction from its assembledposition. The grid structure is thus securely locked on the stem 20 inpredetermined spatial relationship with the cathode 32 solely by theforce interfltting of the members and the resulting spring-lock action.

As a specific example, satisfactory results in the case of a 40 wattpreheat type fluorescent lamp have been obtained by fabricating thegrid-and-support member 34 from No. 446 stainless steel wireapproximately 20 mils in diameter and by making the arbor portion 38 ofsuch length that the spiral grid structure 36 was located approximatelyMi inch in front of the cathode. Comparative tests have shown that thistype of grid structure, when used in combination with a 40% neon-60%argon fill gas mixture, increased the lumen output by approximately 7%and reduced the lamp watts from 42 to about 40.5 watts. Thus, the lightoutput was increased without the concomitant increase in watts whichtends to overload the operating circuit and normally results when aneon-argon fill gas mixture is used.

Since the grid structure is electrically isolated from the cathode,substantially all of the discharge current on the anode half cyclepasses through the cathode in contrast to the situation which obtainswhen plate type anodes are used and are connected to the lead wires inparallel with the cathode. This increases the cathode temperature andaffords the additional advantages of increasing the life of such preheatlamps and reducing discoloration.

Assembly of the grid-support member 34 with the stem 20 is veryconveniently accomplished by first compressing the clip portion 42 andinserting it into the aperture 28 of the otherwise completed mount 14,and then forcing the clip into the tube 26 until the curved intermediateportion 40 seats against the rim of the-aperture. This curved portion isthen pressed downwardly over and against the press 24 and inwardly intothe aperture until the nodule 41 slips over and is caught behind theoverhanging portion of the rim that is located directly below andadjacent to the press.

Embodiment II As shown in FIG. 6, the invention is not limited toelectric discharge devices or fluorescent lamps but may also be usedwith advantage in incandescent lamps. In this case, the mount 14aincludes the usual glass stem 20a having a press 24a, exhaust tubulation26a and side aperture 28a as in the case with the fluorescent mountdescribed previously. As will be obvious however, the upper ends of thelead-in wires 30a are much longer, as is the coiled filament 44.

In the illustrated embodiment, the wire member 34a is used as anauxiliary support and its upper portion or arbor 38a is substantiallystraight and terminated by a small eyelet or loop 46 that encircles anintermediate portion of the filament. The clip portion 42a and thecurved intermediate portion 40a are constructed and interlock with thestern in the same manner as in the abovedescribed fluorescent lampmount. It will be observed, however, that in both mounts the upper endsof the onepiece wire membersare terminated by an arcuate loop or spiralof at least one turn.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that the objects of theinvention have been achieved in that a novel structure has been providedfor attaching a support or grid element to a lamp mount solely bymechanical means. This permits grid structures or auxiliary supports tobe preformed and subsequently quickly assembled on a mass productionbasis With otherwise completed lamp mounts without the criticalglass-working and inserting operations heretofore required.

While several embodiment have been illustrated and described, it will beunderstood that various modifications can be made without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the compressibleclip portion can be made as a separate element and fastened, as bywelding, to another member to form a twopiece instead of a one-piececomponent.

I claim as my invention:

1. A mount for an electric energy translation device comprising,

a vitreous stem having a press at one end,

an electric energy translation element supported in predeterminedspatial relationship with said stem by means anchored in said press,

a tubulation extending within and joined to said stem and communicatingwith an aperture therein located proximate said press, and

an elongated member extending through said aperture and disposed inpredetermined spatial relationship with said electric energy translationelement,

said member being held in such position solely by means of an attachedcompressible element that is located in and interlocked with the end ofsaid tubulation that adjoins said aperture.

2. A mount as set forth in claim 1 wherein: said tubulation comprises avitreous tube that is fused to said stem, and said compressible elementcomprises an integral part of said elongated member.

3. A mount for an electric discharge device comprising,

a vitreous reentrant stem having a press at one end,

an electrode supported in predetermined spatial relationship with saidstem by means embedded in said press,

a vitreous tube extending within and fused to said stem andcommunicating with an aperture therein located near said press,

a grid located a predetermined distance in front of said electrode, and

means holding said grid in such position comprising a support wirehaving one end joined to said grid and its opposite end formed into acompressible clip that is forcibly inserted into said tube through saidaperture and is locked therein solely by the tensioning of said clip bysaid tube.

4. A mount as set forth in claim 3 wherein said grid is integral withthe support wire and constitutes the free end thereof.

5. A mount for a fluorescent lamp comprising,

a vitreous reentrant stem having a flared skirt at one end and a pressat its other end,

lead-in conductors embedded .in and extending beyond said press,

a filamentary electrode connected to and supported by the protrudingportions of said lead-in conductors,

a vitreous tube extending axially into said stem and sealed to aninterior part thereof,

said stem having an aperture therein that is located below said pressand merges with the bore of said tube to define a continuous passageway,and

a combined grid-and-support member comprising a length of wire having acompressible clip formed at one end and its opposite end formed into agrid structure,

the compressible clip portion of said length of wire being located inand compressively locked within the tube and the intermediate portionthereof extending through the aperture and axially beyond the press sothat said grid structure is supported in a predetermined position infront of said electrode solely by the force-interfitting and resultingspring interlocking of said clip portion and tube.

6. A fluorescent lamp mount as set forth in claim 5 wherein: the gridportion of said wire comprises a flat spiral of approximately threeturns that is disposed in a plane transverse to the stem axis, and a.segment of the wire adjacent said clip portion is provided with areverse bend that is caught behind the aperturedefining lip portion ofsaid stem located below the press and thereby prevents axialdisplacement of the wire grid-and-support member from its assembledposition on said stem.

7. A fluorescent mount as set forth in claim 5 wherein: said electrodeis of elongated configuration and is disposed in a plane that istranverse to the stem axis, said a vitreous stem having a press and anopening therein located adjacent said press,

a tube sealed to the underside of said stem at a point such that itcommunicates with the opening therein, lead-in wire-s sealed through andextending beyond said press,

an elongated incandescible element having its ends attached to andsupported by said lead-in wires, and

an auxiliary filament-support means comprising a wire member one endwhereof is coupled to an intermediate portion of said incandescibleelement and the other end whereof is formed into a spring clip that isdisposed in and compressively locked within the port-ion of said tubethat adjoins said opening.

9. A self-supporting element adapted for use in an electric-a1 devicehaving a stem with a press at one end and a tubulat-ion that is joinedto its opposite end and communicates with an aperture in the stem wall,which element comprises a preformed length of wire having,

a compressible clip at one end larger in dimension than I the bore ofsaid tabulation,

an intermediate portion having a reverse bend that defines a noduleadapted to engage the aperture-defining rim portion of said stem,

an arbor portion of predetermined length extending from saidintermediate portion, and

an arcuate portion that constitutes the opposite end of said wire anddefines a substantially closed loop.

No references cited.

JAMES D. KALLAM, Primary Examiner.

A. J. JAMES, Assistant Examiner.

1. A MOUNT FOR AN ELECTRIC ENERGY TRANSLATION DEVICE COMPRISING: AVITREOUS STEM HAVING A PRESS AT ONE END, AN ELECTRIC ENERGY TRANSLATIONELEMENT SUPPORTED IN PREDETERMINED SPATIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID STEMBY MEANS ANCHORED IN SAID PRESS, A TUBULATION EXTENDING WITHIN ANDJOINED TO SAID STEM AND COMMUNICATING WITH AN APERTURE THEREIN LOCATEDPROXIMATE SAID PRESS, AND AN ELONGATED MEMBER EXTENDING THROUGH SAIDAPERTURE AND DISPOSED IN PREDETERMINED SPATIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH SAIDELECTRIC ENERGY TRANSLATION ELEMENT, SAID MEMBER BEING HELD IN SUCHPOSITIOIN SOLELY BY MEANS OF AN ATTACHED COMPRESSIBLE ELEMENT THAT ISLOCATED IN AND INTERLOCKED WITH THE END OF SAID TUBULATION THAT ADJOINTSSAID APERTURE.